Editor’s note: The following letter was sent to member of the Sonoma City Council.
Dear City Council Members:
The small town of Sonoma has always been a welcome getaway for people from big cities where corporate establishments make up the bulk of the businesses. Our locally owned “Mom and Pop” businesses have thrived because of this in the past. Within the last several years we have watched these local businesses diminish because corporate companies have come in and taken over.
Sonoma is a historical town that is known for its small-town feel. We would hate to see that go because of people who assume that corporate businesses can bring in more money than the locally owned businesses can. It is a statistic that locally owned businesses keep 68 percent of the money in town while corporate businesses only keep 43 percent.
We want to keep Sonoma the way it has always been. Locally owned businesses have their own way of operating and have always provided a more personal service to their customers than corporate businesses. They are the heart and soul of this town and it would be a shame to watch them disappear and be replaced by big corporate businesses that can be found anywhere in the world.
Currently the advertisement coming from the Sonoma Valley Visitor’s Bureau is concentrating on the corporate businesses. They are supposed to be bringing people to the Town of Sonoma in general without focusing on specific businesses. Our tax money and membership fees are used to fund this organization and we need to have a generic ad to help the small businesses as well.
We at A Victorian Garden Inn have been here for 27 years as a sole proprietor and never asked for a dime from the city for any of our renovations and other expenses including redoing the sidewalk in front of our property. We have always employed local personnel, shop consistently at locally owned markets and shops, and hire local providers for maintenance, etc. We need to stay in business so that we can continue to do this.
We would greatly appreciate any help you can give small businesses
Regards,
Donna Lewis, Owner
A Victorian Garden Inn
Be First to Comment